106-030 Modern Drama

Note

Availability

Credit Points

Coordinator

Prerequisites

Usually 25 points of first year English, see Prerequisites

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

This subject studies the relationships between modernism, and the Western drama of this century, so that students will be closely familiar with the main authors, forms and geopolitical sites that are now seen to constitute the mainstream of the modern drama tradition. They will be able to understand modern theories of the modern stage and basic problems involved in thinking of drama as both text and stage performance. They will further understand the political and cultural dimension of drama in the modern period.

Assessment

Written work totalling 4000 words, or audio-visual/multimedia equivalent as negotiated with the subject coordinator.

Prescribed Texts

• S Beckett, Waiting for Godot. Faber.
• T Stoppard, Travesties. Faber.
• B Brecht, The Caucasian Chalk Circle. Methuen.
• C Churchill, Plays: Two. Methuen.
• D Williamson, Emerald City. Currency Press.
• J P Sartre, No Exit and Other Plays. Penguin.
• H Ibsen, Four Major Plays. OUP.
• A Miller, Death of a Salesman. Penguin.
• H Pinter, The Birthday Party. Methuen.
• L Pirandello, Six Characters in Search of an Author. Heinemann.
• D Mamet, Glengarry Glenross. Grove Press.
• P Weiss, Marat/Sade. Calder and Boyars.
• A Strindberg, Plays: One. Methuen.
• T Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire. Penguin.